Commercial dispute between business partners

Two business partners jointly owned more than half a dozen companies and subsidiaries (worth several million dollars) spread over four countries in a major industry. After two decades of doing business together and facing some financial losses and lawsuits, both parties did not trust each other anymore and wanted to sever business relationships. Said one partner, “I just can’t see eye to eye with him anymore. How can we carry on like that?”
The mediators sieved through a complex web of investment amounts and assisted parties to ascertain their interests in each company, which included financial, as well as personal interests. Both parties were comfortable revealing their personal interests to mediators at the private sessions later in the day. This happened because of the rapport that had developed between the business partners and the mediators during the first half of the day.
The mediators helped both partners to reach a global settlement that night. Lawyers were then instructed to draw up a detailed settlement agreement in the following weeks.
After the session, one party said that he was surprised at how much was accomplished in one day. “I never thought we would be able to sort out all our business and personal affairs in one day. I thought it was just too complicated, and we would eventually have to go to court. I am so relieved to be proven wrong,” he said.
Disclaimer: Some names and identifying features have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals.